Tesla’s VP of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Morav, took to X today to clear up confusion around the Model Y Standard roof design. While some customers speculated about design changes, Lars confirmed that the Standard Range variant maintains a glass roof—just with notable modifications from premium versions.
Model Y Standard still features a glass roof, but Tesla has removed the infrared-reflective silver coating found in higher-end models. Instead, the company added a fabric headliner inside the cabin that serves dual purposes: improving heat insulation and reducing road noise.
“All glass is NOT created equal,” Lars explained. “Remember, the Model Y Premium glass is laminated with silver IR reflective coatings to make it super comfy and reject solar load… the standard is not… plus LOTS of people wanted a closed headliner, always trying to listen (and improve road noise at same time).”
When questioned about why Tesla didn’t simply switch to a metal roof to further reduce costs on the Model Y Standard Range, Morav pointed to production practicalities.
“Cost, supply chain and manufacturing efficiency in our factories,” he noted, adding that the glass option “looks cooler” than metal alternatives. Decision ultimately came down to leveraging existing production lines rather than introducing new manufacturing processes.
According to a Tesla engineer, Model Y Standard glass is completely opaque—even if the interior textile lining were removed, occupants still couldn’t see through it.
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